Package and retainer tray



Nov. 7, 1967 5. T. LA PLANTE PACKAGE AND RETAINER TRAY Filed Feb. 17, 1966 FIG. 2

/NVEN7OR GORDYN T. LA PLANTE ,4 T TORNE r United States Patent 3,351,192 PACKAGE AND RETAINER TRAY Gordyn T. La Plante, Warren, Mich., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 528,109 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package for cemented carbide inserts or similar highdensity bodies is disclosed in which each insert is contained in its own separate and removable plastic module or capsule, the capsules being retained on a rigid tray having a plurality of holes therein in which the capsules fit. The holes within the retainer tray are slightly larger at the base than at the upper surface to create an interference fit between the capsule and the hole in the tray. The perimeter of the capsule opening has an outwardly extending flange adapted to seat upon the upper surface of the tray, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive closes the capsule opening.

This invention relates generally to the packaging of metallic or ceramic bodies and specifically to a package for containing a plurality of small high-density bodies such as cemented carbide cutting inserts.

The packaging of cemented carbide inserts presents a number of unique packaging problems. Cemented carbide inserts are relatively heavy but nevertheless sufficiently brittle so as to be relatively easily chipped or broken if mishandled. They should therefore be individually protected during shipment to avoid contact with each other. In addition, it is desirable that a single package serve not only for protection in shipment but also for storage prior to use in a machining operation and between successive uses until the usable life of the insert is ended. The packaging for such inserts should also be capable of dispensing individual inserts without removal of the remaining inserts in the package. The packaging should be capable of identifying clearly and quickly the particular grade of each insert. In addition the package should be capable of being easily stocked and inventoried in large quantities.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a package for cemented carbide inserts and similar bodies which achieves the many objectives set forth above and which in addition possesses a number of other desirable attributes.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are achieved in a package which comprises a retainer tray which has a plurality of holes therein and a plurality of capsules, corresponding to the number of holes, removably fitted within the holes in the tray. Each individual capsule is held in one of the holes in the tray by an interference fit and each capsule contains its own individual recloseable cover. Each capsule and its contents may be individually removed and replaced and thus individual inserts may be removed from the package with out removal of the remaining capsules, inserts or any of the remaining closure members of the package. The design of the package permits complete protection of each insert against chippage or breakage, provides for convenient storage of the inserts and also permits quick and relatively simple inspection of the package contents.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the package of the invention with a partially opened capsule removed from the retainer tray; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the package of the invention taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1.

As can be seen from the drawing, the package comprises a retainer tray 1, a capsule 2, and an opaque closure member 3 for the capsule. The retainer tray 1 has a plurality of holes 4 therein, preferably extending completely through the tray, each of the holes adapted to receive one of the capsules 2. The package illustrated in the drawing contains, in effect, two packages 5 and 5' in unitized form, each of the packages adapted to contain four cemented carbide inserts. The packages may be conveniently split if desired by folding along a plane 6 weakened along the central longitudinal axis of the package by the presence of a series of perforations 7. For purposes of illustration, the package is shown in FIG. 1 with, from left to right, capsules 2 and closures 3 in the first two holes, capsules 2 and inserts 8 without closures in the second two holes, empty holes 4 in the third position and capsules 2 only in the two right-hand holes.

As will be noted most clearly from FIG. 2, each of the capsules 2 fits into a hole 4- in the tray 1 and is retained therein solely by friction by means of an interference or pressure fit along the external surface 10 of capsule 2 and the internal abutting surface 11 of each of the holes 4 in the retainer tray. It will also be noted from FIG. 2 that the depth of the capsule is approximately the same as the depth of the retainer tray 1. This affords double lateral protection along the sides of each of the inserts.

Each of the capsules contains a flange or rim 12 surrounding the perimeter of the opening 13 in the capsule. The flange acts to provide a seating surface for each capsule so that it is correctly positioned in the retainer tray. It also acts as a contacting surface for the closure member 3 illustrated in the drawing as a sheet backed with a pressure-sensitive contact adhesive. The flange 13 fits into a correspondingly shaped countersink 14 surrounding each hole in tray 1. This permits the closed capsule to present a flush surface for stacking and this reduces the possibility of damage or inadvertent removal of the closure member. Each closure member 3 contains an outer pull tab portion 9 (FIG. 1) extending beyond the flange 12 of the capsule to permit easy removal of the closure.

The capsule is preferably made of a clear transparent plastic material with sufiicient resilience to be pressure fitted within the hole in the tray. The capsule is transparent so as to permit visual identification of the shape and quantity of the packaged inserts. It has been found that cellulose acetate butyrate or cellulose acetate propionate are acceptable plastics for this purpose. It may conveniently be manufactured by vacuum forming from sheets of the plastic material of about 10 to 15 mils thickness. Other suitable plastics for the capsule are polyethylene, the vinyl polymers such as polyvinyl chloride or polyvinyl acetate, polystyrene and other similar materials.

The package of the invention lends itself to both convenient storage and display. The package may be displayed or stored either intact or in separate halves by hanging on a hook through any of holes 15. The packages may be conveniently stored by stacking because both upper and lower surfaces are essentially flat. In addition, the contents may be dispensed either in package quantities or insert-by-insert by simply pushing a capsule from the bottom side and ejecting the capsule. The capsule itself may then be used for storage and protection of the insert by the user during its useful life. Each capsule and its closure is a self-contained, individually removable unit. The closure member, preferably a fabric-based or other relative high strength sheet material, is reusable for restorage. It may be opaque for printed identification and serve as a label as shown in the drawing. In addition to its closure 3 function, it also serves for identification of the capsule contents as shown in FIG. 1.

A critical feature of the invention is the friction or pressure retention of the capsule and its contents within the cavity in the retainer tray. For this purpose, there must be close dimensional control of the injectionmolded retainer tray and its holes and the vacuum-formed capsule. The capsule may conveniently be formed about 0.007 to 0.010 inch larger at its base dimension than the cavity opening. This will create the necessary interference or pressure fit when the capsule is placed within the cavity. The inner surface 11 of each hole 4 is perpendicular to the top surface of the tray 1 for approximately 50% of its depth. The surface then tapers outwardly about 1 or 2 degrees to enlarge the hole 4 slightly providing clearance for the insertion of the capsule in the tray. This feature distributes the constrictive forces over approximately 30% to 50% of the sidewall area of the capsule, effectively retaining the capsule within the tray and providing stress relief through expansion of the capsule base into the enlarged base of the tray.

The tray may be made of a high strength-to-weight ratio plastic such as polystyrene, aromatic polycarbonates such as those sold under the Lexan trademark, nylon or similar materials. It is conveniently injection-molded and may be cored or hollowed out from the back (as illustrated in the drawing) to reduce its total mass.

It will be seen that the package of the invention provides a highly versatile and yet effective means of containment, storage and display of cemented carbide inserts or similar bodies.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A package for containing a plurality of small metallic or ceramic high-density bodies comprising a rigid retainer tray having a plurality of holes therein extending completely through the tray and being slightly larger at the base thereof, a resilient capsule removably fitted within each of the holes, the depth of the tray being at least as great as the depth of the capsule, each of the capsules shaped to receive a high-density body through an opening therein, each of the capsules having external dimensions such that it forms an interference fit within the upper narrower portion of the hole in the retainer tray sufiicient to retain the capsule and its contents within the hole in the tray, each of the capsules having an outwardly extending flange surrounding the perimeter of the opening in the capsule and adapted to seat upon the upper surface of the tray and a plurality of closure members, each of which removably closes an opening in one of said capsules.

2. The package of claim 1 in which the tray is polystyrene.

3. The package of claim lulose acetate butyrate.

4. The package of claim 1 in which the closure memher for each capsule is a sheet coated with a pressuresensitive adhesive.

5. A package for containing cemented carbide cutting inserts comprising a substantially rigid plastic retainer tray having a plurality of holes therethrough and being slightly larger at the base thereof, a transparent relatively resilient plastic capsule having a generally flat bottom removably fitted within each of said holes, each of said capsules having external dimensions such that it forms an interference fit within the upper narrower portion of its respective hole in the retainer tray, said interference fit being sufficient to retain the capsule and its contents within the hole in the tray, said capsule and tray being of substantially the same depth, each of said capsules shaped to receive a cemented carbide insert through an opening therein substantially flush with the surface of the retainer tray, each of said capsules having an outwardly extending flange surrounding the perimeter of said opening and adapted to seat upon the upper surface of said tray, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated sheet member removably closing the opening in each of said capsules.

6. The package of claim 5 having a plane of weakness along its central longitudinal axis permitting division of the package into two equal units.

1 in which the capsule is cel- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,676,428 4/1954 Silver 2061.7 2,990,054 6/1961 Gelhnan 206-37 3,111,220 11/1963 Bostrom 20647 3,124,241 3/1964 Holley et al. 20656 3,144,343 8/ 1964 Fritsche 206-56 3,183,101 5/1965 Peters 20656 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. A PACKAGE FOR CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF SMALL METALLIC OR CERAMIC HIGH-DENSITY BODIES COMPRISING A RIGID RETAINER TRAY HAVING A PLURALITY OF HOLES THEREIN EXTENDING COMPLETELY THROUGH THE TRAY AND BEING SLIGHTLY LARGER AT THE BASE THEREOF, A RESILIENT CAPSULE REMOVABLY FITTED WITHIN EACH OF THE HOLES, THE DEPTH OF THE TRAY BEING AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THE DEPTH OF THE CAPSULE, EACH OF THE CAPSULES SHAPED TO RECEIVE A HIGH-DENSITY BODY THROUGH AN OPENING THEREIN, EACH OF THE CAPSULES HAVING EXTERNAL DIMENSIONS SUCH THAT IT FORMS AN INTERFERENCE FIT WITHIN THE UPPER NARROWER PORTION OF THE HOLE IN THE RETAINER TRAY SUFFICIENT TO RETAIN THE CAPSULE AND ITS CONTENTS WITHIN THE HOLE IN THE TRAY, OF THE CAPSULE HAVING AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE SURROUNDING THE PERIMETER OF THE OPENING IN THE CAPSULE AND ADAPTED TO SEAT UPON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE TRAY AND A PLURALITY OF CLOSURE MEMBERS, EACH OF WHICH MOVABLY CLOSES AN OPENING IN ONE OF SAID CAPSULES. 